Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Meme, Notes On A Scandal and a chance to win a book from booksprice.com!

The beautiful and talented Nancy of Bookfoolery and Babble, aka Bookfool, has tagged me for a meme titled "8 Random Things About Me". Thanks, Nancy, it always feels so special to be considered for a tag!

Firstly, here are the rules:

1: Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.2: People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules.3: At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names.4: Don't forget to leave them a comment and tell them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

1. When I was around 7 years or so I developed this passion for singing Bollywood songs. It didn't take much to get me to sing and my favorites were popular tunes like ' "Dum Maaro Dum", "Dil Tera Mastaana". Since the lyrics were slightly racy (ofcourse, I didn't know that) I embarrassed my poor parents no end. In case you're wondering, no, I don't sing anymore! :)

2. When I was 8 my parents moved to Goa, a city on the west coast of India which was a mecca for hippies from Europe. I was so taken up with the lifestyle of these hippies and the fact that their children never seemed to take a bath or go to school that I harbored a secret desire to be adopted by one of them. All I could think about was the splendid life I would have frolicking on the beach in the sunshine with my parents and other hippie kids. Infact, the name lotus comes from one of the hippie kids who ended up being my best friend. Lotus and her family returned to Denmark about a year after we arrived in Goa. Lotus in Denmark, if you're reading this, please contact me, we may be long lost friends!

(this lovely image of a hummingbird and a lotus was sent to me by a reader from Brazil,Rosalvo Leomeu Vidal. He paints the lotusflower as a hobby. He is also a journalist, poet and lawyer. Thank you Rosalvo!)

3. At 10 I got my first puppy. He was a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Pomeranian. He had a black muzzle and brown like the Retriever but possessed the temperament of a pom. As he grew into a dog he was always very cross and didn't seem to like children very much, maybe it's because my sister and I would chase him around the house trying to paint his snout and nails with nail varnish?

4. When I was 18 I made my first trip abroad (to visit my grandmother in England).I didn't know it then but it was to start my long love affair with travel. At 21, I got a job with British Airways and pretty much travelled the world with them.

5. I'm left-handed.

6. A year after we got married my husband and I moved to Dubai,(United Arab Emirates) where we spent 10 long years. Living in the Middle East with a whole new culture, life and way of thinking helped us grow as people in tremendous ways and also helped make us global citizens, something that can be very useful in today's world.

7. When I was in school my friends and I went to a palm reader in India as a joke and he predicted I was going to move to Canada in my early '30's. How could he have known that? To this day I wonder about that.

8.In Dec 2004, our family planned a trip to The Maldives over Christmas, fortunately for us, we were having such a good time in Dubai (our first stop) that we postponed our Maldives trip by a week to early January. On Dec 26th, Male was hit by a deadly tsunami which caused parts of the Island to be covered by sea water. I shudder to think of what might have happened had we stuck with our original plans.

In turn I tag anyone that would like to play!

In other news:

Saw "Notes on A Scandal" today. It was ok, I have to confess I much preferred the book by Zoe Heller. Guess that's why they sometimes say, never judge a book by its movie! :)

Dame Judi Dench was absolutely AMAZING though! She gave a stellar performance and I would recommend you go see the movie just for her!

If you are interested in my book review of "Notes on a Scandal", go here.

Finally, I have a question to ask all of you booklovers out there: Where do you buy your books from and why? If you make a suggestion I will put your name in a hat and you will have the chance to win one of the following books from booksprice.com( a free service of finding the best price on books among the major online stores in the USA, Canada and Europe):

The draw will be held a week from now and I will contact the winner for his/her address. Thanks in advance for participating and good luck! :)***Update: The nice folks atbooksprice.com have invited me to pick not one, but two winners, and have offered us more books to choose from. What follows is a revised list of books for the lottery :

Lotus,I loved this meme. You have had such an exciting life. I have always wanted to go to Goa. Too bad about the hippies though! :) I bet Dubai was beautiful as well. Palm readers can really beon the mark sometimes too.

The Chinese believe that your destiny is written on your face, so I'm planning on buying a book that will teach me how to face read. I figured it would be a lot cheaper than going to a professional face reader! :)

The next time you visit India, you should try to include a side trip to Goa...it would be nice to just relax on the beach and gorge on some delicious seafood!

Hello Lefty!!;DWOW!! You are a world citizen.I have seen a bit of World too but not like you.Hope you meet the other Lotus:)When I was 16,a palm reader told me that I am going live in "foreign" and I am going to be "lakhpati"!!:DLast week,I bought Hindi-Bindi and loads of books with articles and recipes in them.In my Mother's Kitchen,Memories of Baklava etc.Love them.I mostly buy from Amazon(I am a click happy person!) and some from Barnes and Nobles.Glad you are all alive and well A!Hugs.

Hi Lotus.love the name.It was interesting to read all about you.got to know more of you.I enjoyed reading the memory keepers daughter.I usualy buy my boks from Amazon.com.the prices are not too bad and sometimes comes with free shiping.Have not heard of bookprice.I used to want to be a hippie too.I thought their life was carefree and wonderful.

Lotus,you really are a world traveler. I buy books from a variety of sources. I buy from Goodwill and Nostalagia books(UBS). I buy from Chapters both in the store and on-line and when I want to find a particular book for cheap I use Addall.com. I have far too many books and seem to be addicted to buying and accumulating more books

I love this meme Lotus! You are such a fascinating person! How cool to work for British Airways and travel the world! The flower is really beautiful and I love how you chose the name. I hope you find your friend! And that is really weird about the palm reader. Sometimes people really can see things. Very interesting...

And for where I buy my books from and why. Since I just bought a new book last week, this was perfect timing for this question! I bought the cookbook Chocolate & Zucchini. I checked the prices online at Amazon, Borders, and Barnes & Noble. They were somewhat similar prices. I’ve been trying not to use my credit card, so I decided not to buy it online. I have a Borders Rewards card, which was free, so I get special discount coupons. I found one for 30% on any book, so I bought the book there even though the ride to the store is a little longer than the ride to B&N. If I hadn’t had the coupon, I would have gone to B&N.

Sorry this comment is so long! I decided to buy the book because I’ve been a fan of the C&Z blog for a long time. A cookbook can always be referred to and I love her recipes and style of writing. Also, even though the book is new, it is offered in paperback, so it was pretty inexpensive with the coupon, just over $13.00. In Boston, that is the same as a few hours parking in a garage during the week.

Thanks for doing the meme. I knew your list would be fascinating! Oh, where to start?

I feel for the dog, but I have to admit I chased my poor cats when I was small. I didn't try to paint their claws! I'll never forget the day I first decided to be gentle with my cat Queenie and gained enough trust by way of a quiet voice that I was able to lure her to my lap. I was in pain when I got up - I didn't want it to end, but I was actually on my knees on a concrete porch. Ouch.

The story of how you chose the name "Lotus" is marvelous! And, what a gorgeous painting!

I'm envious of all your travel and so, so glad you didn't make it to the Maldives.

The palm reader story is one I can easily grasp, as you may have guessed!

I don't need any more books, but I'll tell you where I get mine. Most are acquired through Paperback Swap or our local library sale, these days. But, I used to buy regularly from Book Closeouts (before I reached overload level) and I still think they have fantastic prices.

@Starry ~ Hi! You wanted to be a hippie, too? You're a girl after my own heart! :) I love Amazon, too, especially Amazon Marketplace..they have some unbeatable prices, but I find the books take a while to get here sometimes. You're eligible for a book, good luck!

@Dana ~ Hello!!! I've seen addall.com but never used it,I will have to check it out. Although I prefer the prices at Amazon, I have to confess I much prefer to shop at Chapters Online. Your name's in the hat!

So glad you enjoyed the flower and yes, wouldn't it be great if I could find Lotus after all these years?

There is a lot to be said for buying a book from a brick and mortar store. The browsing, the smell of the books, the personal service, the lovely piped music, the fellowship of other bookworshippers all make for a really neat experience.

I am so glad you were able to get the book you were hankering after for a really decent price. I hope you will do a write-up on it, it sounds fabulous!

Awww, the story of how you and Queenie bonded is beautiful...thanks so much for sharing. I don't think my dog Bouncer ever liked me very much, but when he died I think I was the most affected. I have never been able to keep another pet after him.

I'm envious you have "Paperback Swap", I don't think we have that in Canada yet. Bookcloseouts is a great suggestion, I have been checking them out, they have some marvellous prices!

THank you so much for stopping by!

@Radha ~ I know, LOL! Thank you for your comment all the way from Newyork! When do you get back?

You are such an interesting person, Lotus. I don't even know the countries some of those places. Maybe when I finish my travels in the US I can focus on some more exotic places.

Where do I buy books? My favorite place is to buy a book indigenous to a place I'm visiting. I suppose that even though I own Anne of Green Gables, I will still purchase a copy this summer when visiting the PEI.

I love trading books on bookmooch. When I can't find what I want there, I'll try purchasing a used copy from a seller on amazon.com. Most of my new books I buy from amazon.com because of the convenience and I don't live near any good bookstores.

Loved your meme. I've done one very similar to it, so I'll skip this time. GREAT that you didn't get swept up in that horrible tsunami. I had a palm reader tell me once that I would work from home within a year, and here I am. He also said a lot of other things that didn't happen, so I guess he got lucky. :)

Notes on a Scandal - LOVED the movie, or at least really liked it. But I never read the book.

Regarding the book question, I live in the burbs, so mostly I buy my books at B & N or Borders, or at a couple of small independent bookstores if I'm in their neighborhoods. When I make it into San Francisco, I go to Green Apple Books, my favorite independent bookstore. Sometimes I do Amazon, but that's usually if I can't find a book locally, or if I'm buying a gift that I just want to have sent to someone. It's easier to find a lot of less popular books there.

I have both of these books, so please don't enter me in your contest. :)

another lovely post. i like the fact you have travelled so much. Iam a regular reader of your blogs and love it. I do pick my books to read after i read your reviews:)I buy my books from Barnes and nobles.

You are such an inspiration, Lotus. Your blog is among my favorites, and I am glad to have a little deeper look into who you are.

The dog story had me laughing. Growing up, there was always a dog in the home and I was often the protector, trying to make sure my brother and his friends didn't torment them too much. :-) I am sure I did try to paint the dogs' nails a couple of times, but never with success.

And what wonderful places you have lived and traveled! I imagine you are glad for those experiences. I'm a little envious. :-)

As to Notes on a Scandal, I have been considering whether I want to watch it. I have never read anything by Zoe Heller. Maybe I should consider reading the book first . . .

It was so interesting to read your list and learn a bit about you. I can definitely see how you got your passion for travel and learning about other cultures.

Dame Judi is fabulous. I didn't care for the book of Notes on a Scandal but I will get around to watching the film someday because she's in it.

As for where I shop for books..when we were in England I used a wide variety of actual bookstores like Waterstones, Borders, etc. etc. and online (Amazon, TheBookPeople, and other discount sellers). Now back in Japan I primarily buy from Amazon Japan or The Book Depository (from the UK) as they tend to be cheaper and have more selection. Sometimes I will buy at a couple of the large bookstores in Tokyo that have a reasonable selection of English books, but (English/imported) books are generally more expensive here so I do try to restrain myself. A couple of weeks ago though I didn't buy something at the bookstore, came home and checked Amazon where it was actually more expensive, so it's not always true and why I'm always price-checking. I've bought the odd book at a used store here but the prices are rather high considering they are often rather beat up. For slightly more I can often find the same book new. I keep thinking about joining BookMooch but haven't gotten around to it yet.

I'd love to be tagged for start. Now then, I loved your honetly sweet post! I really did such a great meme idea.

Now then, when I lived in the UK I purchased most of my books on eBay as it was really cheap, and obviously in various book shops. I love second hand books so I'd hunt for old books all the time.When we moved to France most of my books came either from Amazon.com or flea markets. I hope one day I'll stop moving around and then I'll register with a book club.

'Allo booklogged ~ Oh yes, I love bookmooch too, but I haven't been incredibly lucky with them oft late. I have a pocketful of points, but no books that I desire. I think it's a great idea to buy a book as a souvenir of one's holiday. I must think of a list of books based in Toronto for when you visit.

*dropping your name into the hat now*

@Jennie ~ Lovely to see you here! Many sons huh? Hopefully the face reader meant you will be a person of good fortune, as in that famous Indian blessing "May you be the mother of a hundred sons"! :)

Your name also goes in the hat...the best of luck!

@J ~ Thank you for your lovely comment! I have been told that we "auto-suggest" things that have been told to us by fortune tellers and I see how that could happen.

"Notes on a Scandal" is a fairly slim book so if you can get your hands on it, do read it. I'd love to know how you would compare it with its movie.

After reading your comment the nice people at booksprice gave me more book options, so if you would like to reconsider entering your name in the draw, please do!

@mookuthi ~ Welcome, welcome! Always nice to have a fellow bibliophile visit! I'm thrilled you find my reviews useful. Will visit you soon and in the meantime I am entering you for the draw. Thanks for participating!

@Olivia ~ Yeah, I've heard smaller dogs are more temperamental, especially Poms. What was the unusual mix you came across recently?

@Literary Feline ~ *blush* Thank you very much, you do say the nicest things! I'm so glad someone other than me (and my sister) thought it was cool to paint the dog's nails! lol

I hope you get to read "Notes on a Scandal", it might make you a tad uncomfortable, but it's an excellent story with great insights into friendship and other relationships.

@Nat ~ Thank you for your wonderful comment! You have lived in some pretty great places yourself and I envy you living in Japan, I would love to spend some time there some day! My daughter speaks of wanting to be teacher either in Korea or Japan, but she has many years before she can do that!

Wow, I am surprised and delighted that Amazon's prices were beaten by your local bookstore, that's always good to know! It really does make sense to compare prices before buying. I will have to check the "The Book Depository" as some of the books I am lusting over presently have been exclusively published in the UK. Hope one doesn't pay a small fortune on postage tho'.

Amazing about the palm reader (and your change of travel plans in December 2004)!

When I buy books (I use the library a lot and also have lots and lots of books waiting to be read that I acquired while working at Borders a few years ago), I either buy them at Barnes & Noble (I now get a 30% employee discount) or on Amazon -- whichever is cheapest. Not that I really need to buy anymore!

I just got Notes on a Scandal from Netflix and plan to watch it this weekend. It's supposed to rain for the next few days, so I'll be inside reading and watching movies.

Lotus - Oh, why not enter me in. I wish I had an interesting answer for where I buy my books. Amazon.com has been getting a lot of my business lately. Barnes and Nobles and Borders too. There aren't any independent bookstores close by, I'm afraid. One unfortunate habit I have is that I feel guilty just going to one store and so if I buy at B&N, I have to visit Borders and pick something up there too so that I support both bookstores. I'm not sure why I feel the need to do that. I really doubt they'd notice either way. :-)

Wow it sounds like your well-travelled! In November, I'll be backpacking India, arriving in Dehli. Owing to a last minute decision to do a round-the-world trip planning ahead has been minimal. Any must-see places or things to do you can recommend? Thanks so much for sharing, your life sounds fascinating!

That's the beauty of The Book Depository, it's free shipping anywhere in the world!! I'm just about to order a couple of books from The Book Depository because having them sent from England with no shipping charge is cheaper than Amazon Japan's price (also free shipping within Japan). I probably should have mentioned though that prices at Amazon Japan aren't nearly as discounted as on the US, UK, Canada sites, often only 5-10% off the list price. Probably to cover the cost of shipping to bring them over? But do tend to be a bit cheaper than buying from Amazon US or UK and paying their ridiculous shipping. A lot of it can depend on the exchange rates too as prices online at Amazon Japan fluctuate whereas at the bookstore they're ticketed with what I assume was the price/rate when the shop got them in. Amazon Japan also sources from both the US and UK so often both versions are available, although with list prices and exchange US books are usually cheaper. I like having the choice though because changes like "HP and the Sorcerer's Stone" are a huge pet peeve for me. Then there are also the 'International Editions' (published for sale outside the UK or US) which Amazon doesn't tend to stock assuming because they just bring in from their other warehouses but can be found in the shops here which may be slightly different (different cover, size), and sometimes cheaper, than either the US or UK versions. I think this may have been what I found at the bookshop the other day. But anyway lots of factors. Hope it made some kind of sense. And sorry for rambling on and on.

@Les ~ Yeay! I will hop across and read your meme,thanks for letting me know. Meant to ask you if you were still working for B & N, glad that you are...it must not seem like work at all, eh? :) Hope you enjoy "Notes on a Scandal", have you read the book? Yes, we are expecting to have a rainy Sunday so I plan to spend as much time outdoors on Saturday as I can. Real nice of you to stop by, Les!

@Wendy ~ Ohhhh, I loved reading how you feel guilty for buying at just one store, the stores must love you for being impartial! I used to love buying books at a small little independent store downtown, but they are closing down *sniff*, guess it will be back to Amazon marketplace for me now. Your name's in the hat now, Wendy,thanks!

@Aquisionist ~ You're travelling round the world? Lucky, lucky you! For starters, November is a great time to visit India for the weather is nice and cool. If you're starting in Delhi I would recommend you do the Golden Triangle: the cities of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. There is so much to see there and shopping is great too! If you are travelling alone be very vigilant...there are people that will prey on tourists especially if they are women and alone. Feel free to write me if you need more information and enjoy planning for the trip, will stay tuned to your blog for more info!

@Nat ~ Thank you SO MUCH for introducing me to The Book Depository! I have just ordered a couple of books from them and you are right, shipping is FREE, woo hoo! I went through booksprice.com and right enough, the Depository had the best prices on the two books I wanted. They say my books should be here within 5-7 days, can't wait! Thank you so much Nat! Thank you also for letting me know about Amazon Japan, I find how they price books just fascinating! A very informative comment, thanks!

Wow Lotus, you are truely a global citizen! It was nice to read this post and know more about you. The lotus flower and hummingbird painting is beautiful. You have such a rich experience of extensive travel and friends from around the world, is that the secret of your creativity and enthusiasm which makes this blog such a wonderful place to visit?

One of my close friends likewise narrowly missed the Tsunami, as she was late in reaching the beach by half an hour.

Judi Dench is always amazing! As Time Goes By is one of my favourite TV shows, mostly because of her.

As for where I buy my books...in real life, from Chapters/Indigo, Book City, book sales, and Toronto's many used bookstores.

Online, I shop at Chapters/Indigo, Amazon.ca, and BookCloseouts, which is an awesome place to get remaindered books. They also have a warehouse in St. Catharines, Ontario, which has to be one of my favourite places to browse.

Mostly Amazon, because it's convenient and relatively cheap but yesterday I bought a couple of books at Kinokuniya, a brick and mortar chain in Japan. I love browsing book and mortar bookstores and I have a hard time leaving one without buying a book.

Lotus - Yes, I love my job. It doesn't feel like work at all, especially when I can chat with co-workers and customers about my favorite books. No, I haven't read Notes On A Scandal. Probably won't if I'm going to go ahead with the movie version. Too many books, not enough time! Hope you had a lovely day.

@Reader ~ Thank you for being so generous with your praise! My love of reading definitely inspired my love of travel. Till today travel books are probably one of my most favorite books to read!

@Heidi ~ Welcome! So happy to have you here. Yes, our neighborhood bookstores must be encouraged. We did our best by ours, but to no avail, they will be closing down a couple of weeks from now. You are a participant in the draw, all the best!

@Poodlerat ~ Lovely to see you here, how are you doing? I have heard so much about the BookCloseouts warehouse in St. Catherine's, I must bully my hubby into taking me there one day! Your name's in the hat, good luck!

@Gaijin Mama ~ Thank you for mentioning the Kinokuniya bookstore. I have been to their online store many a time but have never ordered anything from there. You are eligibile for the draw!

Although I love the real life bookstore (Borders, Barnes and Noble, the quaint little one in our town) I have to say I buy most of them at Amazon.com. Why? Because I can often buy them used, and they're cheap. Also, the selection is incredible.

hi lrthat was a terrific post. i have come to know so much more about one whose blog i regularly read.childhood days are the best in any one's life.you think freely without any inhibitions and you are not responsible for the consequences of any of your actions! immunity!yes,these foretellers sometimes are pretty accurate.have you been to a nadishastra man? he pulls out palmleaf manuscripts from his archives after studying your thumb impression and tells your past,present and predicts your future.and to add credibility he even records his findings on audiotape and gives you a copy!

Thanks for the tips lotus. I'll be travelling with my mum so hopefully that will make life a little easier. I'm not going to bother you now, but along the way, I will fire of an email with my sketchy plan and a few questions if you don't mind...

Lotus, I'd love one day to work as an English teacher and travel the world teaching, also as I writer I like using local phrases in my stories that are based in other countries. Interpreting is tempting but the future will show!

I buy my books from my local bookshop, Brandan Books, because it is fabulous and always has at least three books I can read for my world lit. challenge, and sometimes Amazon because it is convenient and has lots of hard-to-find books.

@Bellezza ~ You have a point about the selection available at Amazon.com and the prices that Amazon Marketplace offers are often unbeatable, still, now that I am using booksprice.com I sometimes find better deals than even Marketplace. I have become a great fan of comparison shopping! I've put your name on my list for a book!

@gs ~ Thank you, thank you! What a nice thing to say! No, I have never been to a nadishastra, but I would love to! How do I go about it?

@Acquisionist ~ I think it's great that you're going with your mom. Yes, please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have and I'll do my best to help!

@Carra ~ Good luck with your ambitions, I am sure you'll do it, you are already quite the traveller!!!

@Book Traveller ~ From what I see almost everyone here (including myself) buys from Amazon. It's true, the prices are hard to beat and they have a great inventory. I've marked you down as a participant in the book lottery!

Fun meme:) There wasa time I was insanely curious about soothsayers so I visited them all- parrot tarot card readers, palmists, flame readers, mole readers, nadi readers..whew! It was too tiring to forsee my future, so I gave up and decided to live it instead:))

I buy my books on Amazon or at Strand bookstore in NY. You must look it up when you visti NYC..am sure you will love it! Its one of my fav. places..

Hello me and welcome! Oh, I, too, love those Nonrequired reading books! Interesting that they had a piece on Dubai..can you tell me what it was called and who the author was? Yes, the hotel they are referring to is probably the "Burj Al Arab". Here is the link to it. It's fantastically opulent and I think there is a charge to just enter the lobby to view it!

@Anon ~ Well, atleast you know my political leanings, one out of two isn't bad! :) And, are you going to identify yourself or must I guess?

@Megster ~ Wonderful to see you here and yes, as much as fortune tellers intrigue me, I do subscribe to the notion that we create our own futures. So, yes, you're right to just live it! I so hope to make it to NYC in the summer, our plans are up in the air at the moment, but I will remember the Strand Bookstore if I do, thanks!

Yours will be the last name to go in the hat...I am having the draw at 4:00pm. Thanks for participating Megs and good luck!

Great meme! I get my books from thrift stores, garage sales, used book stores and Borders. I buy so many books during the year that I can't afford to always get them at full price. I like to buy books from thrift stores like Goodwill and from Charity garage sales because then I at least feel like my addiction is bringing about something good to the world.

I never really got caught up in not wanting to take a bath as a kid. I always loved playing in the tub with my toys and having that alone time. That's not to say that I was big on actually scrubbing up, though... ;)

Hi! I'm visiting for the blogroll challenge and am amazed at how huge your site is. I preferred the book to the movie of Notes on a Scandal too - I didn't like the film ending as much. But I thought both actresses were brilliant.

Also, wanted to tell you that you look incredibly familiar. I don't know why really. I've lived in Bahrain for 4 yrs now... when did you leave Dubai? I've never been there, and have heard the nightmares of traffic and such. Bahrain is calmer altho it has its moments. It does teach you lots about other cultures though.. especially when you're married into it. :)

@myutopia ~ Thank you for visiting! I agree about buying books from places that give back...I went to a church book sale recently and all proceeds went to the Sick Kids hospital, it made me happy to know I contributed in a small way.

@Carl V ~ I would have much rather bathed in the ocean which is what the hippie kids did...getting into the tub at home was such a chore. I hear ya about the scrubbing! ;)

@litlove ~ Hello and welcome, I hope you will visit again. I'm with you, the ending was weird wasn't it?

@um naief ~ I visited Bahrain once, briefly and I really liked it. You're right, it is so much quieter and less crowded than Dubai. We left Dubai in 2000 after spending a little over 10 years there. Although I was happy for the change, I still miss Dubai. Being married to a Bahraini must help you understand the culture from close quarters...I think that's really neat. I look forward to getting to know you better and what life in Bahrain is like, through your blog.